The Clifton clarion., 1887-10-26
THE TUMBLE WEED.
\ Curious Weed. the Terror of the
 Prairie iu Years &ORe By.


 Prairie iu Years &ORe By.
 MT. w. F. Niederlander has on exhibition in the window of his office fine specimen of the curi- ous plant known as the tumble weed" This specimen was taken from the old fair grounds last year, after the grounds were aban- doned. The plant is mass of branches, spherical in form, and so tightly interwoven as to form almost a compact mass. Like the earth, this globular mass of branches is flattened at the poles only more SO. The present speci- men is about five feet at its great est diameter. Mir. Niederlander says he has seen specimens nearly twice this size.
 This weed once grew plentifully through this country and Colo rado. When green, they present very pretty appearance, and look more like dwarf tree than weed. They are very dangerous in case of a prairie fire, and often dangerous in plain windstorms where there is no fire. In case of fire, the flames seem to strip the plant of it's leaves, and it at once goes rolling Lefore the hurricane, a perfect wheel of fire. These re- volving wheels of fire will jump any ordinary furrow or fire break, and carry the fire into the timber or grass, as the case may be. Nothing can stop their progress but river. Into these they jump, leaping out into the stream forty, fifty or sixty feet, and go down with hiss, throwing up column of steam where they sink.
 II have seen hundreds of these plants in Barber county and the Siquashie valley" said Mr. Neider- lander" "When started to roll ing in a fire no ordinary horse can run before them. Once in the Siquash1e valley, I only saved my self by driving my team into the river. which I fortunately reached just in time."
 In Colorado wind storms these weeds are also a source of much danger. In Middle Park few years ago party of travellers were suddenly overtaken by storm Seeing what they supposed to be a mass of huge powders in the distance, they made for them, thinking they would afford at least partial shelter. To their surprise as they approached the powders suddenly broke loose and com menced rolling toward them at furious rate, cutting all sorts of curious capers and gyrating men, acingly as they came. At times they would strike an obstruction and bound high in the air, and again striking the ground, resume their rapid circular motion. The travellers put spurs to their horses, and it was only by the greatest effort that they managed to escape from the track of these monsters On examination, they found their supposed powders were really immense weeds which had been torn up by the roots by the wind storm.
 These weeds are 50 solid that they are great menace to man and beast under such circum- stances. Impelled by a heavy wind, they go with force enough to kill horse, and a human being is in great danger if he can not get out of the track when they are running before a hurricane or in a case of a prairie fire,-Wichlta (Kan.l Journal.
 Brown-Hello, Robinson, what's your hurry?
 Robinson tout of breath Don't detain me; I've just heard that my house is on fire!
 Brown-That's too bad. 1 was just going to ask you to have a drink.
 Robinson-W Well, I'll go you one, but we'll hlve to be quick about it,-NeW Yo K Sun.